A baby girl's face after her first bath says it all, but one commenter on Reddit noticed something that raised the alarm of the parents.

Close

Share

Please like us to get more great stories like this

Close

B3RTO / Imgur

Baby's photo on Imgur makes commenter think she may have hyperbilirubinemia

By Nick Georgandis

March 15, 2018

Parents can't help but share pictures of their newborn children through every means possible. While some might tire of this practice, it allowed one pediatrician to share some vital information that kept a newborn girl out of a dangerous situation.

Advertisement

A Reddit user named vespera23 was browsing baby photos when she noticed an adorable newborn picture a dad had posted of his daughter making a hilariously upset face after her first bath.

"Are her eyes a bit yellow? Looks a bit like it to me, but the whole picture is a bit yellow tinted," vespera23 wrote. "Probably fine, but jaundice is a symptom of hyperbilirubinemia in babies, which is very common in the first few days / week of life. If her eyes/skin looks yellow IRL and she hasn't seen a doc she could probably use a checkup. Source: I'm a paranoid pediatrician."

The yellow skin comes as a result of an immature liver, according to the Children's Hospital of the King's Daughters. The liver uses stool to remove bilirubin in the blood. Babies experience irritability, low temperatures, and difficulty feeding if it is not addressed.

Vespera23's concerns were well-placed. The posting father responded that the baby had in fact been diagnosed with jaundice and was under the care of a pediatrician.